Frank Sinatra - Does His Thing

Frank Sinatra - Does His Thing

Hello young lovers
Baubles, bangles and beads
Cycles

Diahann Carroll:Music that makes me dance
Diahann Carroll:Where am I going

Medley with Diahann Carroll:
Diane/ Deep river / Sometimes I feel a motherless child / Lonesome road / Nobody knows the trouble I've seen Amen

Medley:
Glad to be unhappy/ Here's that rainy day / It never entered my mind / Gone with the wind

The 5th Dimension: It's a great life
The 5th Dimension:Stoned soul picnic

Duet with The 5th Dimension: Sweet blindness

Nice 'n' easy
How little we know
Lost in the stars
Angel eyes
Put your dreams away

Format: Color
Aspect Ratio(s): 1.33:1
Audio Encoding: PCM Stereo
Studio: Wea/Warner Bros.
DVD Release Date: June 8, 1999
Run Time: 50
DVD Features: Available Audio Tracks: English (PCM Stereo)

Review:

Review: Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing DVD

Somewhere in the late sixties Frank Sinatra forgot was it meant to be Frank Sinatra. To simply be the entertainer of the century and the greatest interpreter of the American songbook ever was not enough. Sinatra defined what it meant to be cool, however hip was not in his repertoire. This DVD is Sinatra trying to fit in with the longhaired, unwashed minions of the day. The site of Sinatra in love beads and a blue satin Nehru jacket with the long frilly front is enough to make a Sinatraphile cry. The man who taught millions of men the art of dressing has lost his mind. The title of the DVD even states what he is attempting, “Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing”. The trouble is, none of Frank’s “things” square with what “doing your thing” meant in the late 1960’s.

This would be an excellent DVD if not for the presence of Diahann Carroll and the 5th Dimension. Yes, these were relevant artists of their day but they do not belong on stage with Sinatra. Carroll is a fine artist in her own right but her medley with Sinatra defines what is wrong with this whole premise. The set ends with Sinatra and Carroll singing a black gospel song called “Amen”. One of Sinatra’s lines is “talking with the elders, trying gain wisdom”. Oh, God. The blue-eyed Italian from New Jersey who was the patron saint of Jack Daniels, Las Vegas, and seduction singing black gospel is scary. It gets worse from there. Later the 5th Dimension sings “Stoned Soul Picnic”, and then Sinatra joins them in a duet of “Sweet Blindness”. At this point Sinatraphiles are wishing for sweet blindness.

The DVD does have many redeeming features, however. Sinatra provides an absolutely stunning, swinging version of “Nice and Easy”, a song he rarely sang concert. This one song makes up for all the rest of the junk. Sinatra did one of the “A Man and His Music” shows on TV every few years, starting in 1965, and they all followed a basic formula. One medley aways contained four or more suicide songs. The rendering of “Here’s that Rainy Day” and “Gone With the Wind” are consummate examples of why Sinatra is present at 3:00 a.m. in the homes of many of the lovelorn.

The big production number of “Lost in the Stars” is beautiful and curious at the same time. “Stars” is a social statement, using metaphors from African religions in a prayer to an unnamed god. The song could be viewed as an allegory for apartheid. If the meaning of the song is not ascertained, watching Sinatra, who has changed back into his requisite tux, singing with a voice on loan from God is still a joy. Towards the end of this show Frank finds the meaning of being Frank again.

One of the best things about DVD players is that they can skip to the next section in just seconds. Skip Diahann Carroll and the 5th Dimension and simply revel in the sheer magic of watching Sinatra being Sinatra. It makes the DVD worth the price.

© Edith Bryant for Sinatra – The Main Event, 2006

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